Only The Best
by Snart and Rory
Summary: Kir Kanos and his friend Carnor Jax are being trained as Red Guard for Emperor Palpatine. But only the best will survive. Only the best can serve Palpatine. But after witnessing a brutal act against the best trainee the academy has, Kanos considers whether being the best is really what he wants. (Prequel to "Never Regret")


(A/N: I do not own Star Wars, although I really wish and dream that I could, but I'm glad that George Lucas allows me to enjoy his creation, just as I hope you guys would enjoy my story! (Please vote on my poll that is found on my profile for a Bounty Hunting story I wish to write!))

"We're good, but everyone else is praising Burr Danid as the best." Carnor Jax sighed.

"Yeah, but we just need to improve. We will be the best or I'll die trying." Kir Kanos answered, smiling at his friend.

Jax looked over his shoulder at Danid, the tall, dark haired man that had exceeded all expectations and was the best of the Royal Red Guard Trainees. "He doesn't act it." He finally said.

Kanos nodded. Danid wasn't a hot shot, and he never tried to rub it in other people's faces, he was humble. A trait that, in Kanos's opinion, would cause problems with their trainer, Ved Kennede.

"You hear that the Emperor is here on a special visit?" Jax leaned close to whisper across the table to Kanos.

"What?" Kanos cried in shock. "Who told you that load of Shab'la?" He demanded.

Jax smiled mischievously. "Who said anyone told me, and that I didn't see it for myself?" He asked, causing Kanos to groan.

"You're going to get into trouble again, Jax." He muttered, causing his blonde fried to laugh.

"Who said that I would be caught again?" He demanded, causing Kanos to allow a small smile pass over his lips.

"You ALWAYS get caught, Jax." He answered playfully.

"Shut up, Kanos." Jax grinned, "I got caught on PURPOSE that time!"

Kanos laughed again. "Right, that's what you always say."

Jax snorted. "As if you could do better?" He answered, raising an eyebrow.

Kanos opened his mouth to respond when their trainer, Ved Kennede arrived.

"You will all meet in the Squall within five minutes." He announced. "Be late and it will be the last thing you regret." He added over his shoulder as he left.

Jax looked at Kanos and raised his eyebrows in an "I told you so" expression. Kanos made a face at his friend as he got up and began to make his way to the Squall, Jax tagging along at his heels.

The Squall was the training arena for the training of the Royal Guard trainees, and was a very dangerous place to be. There were deep pits that extended infinitely, no one knew when it ended. Legend has it that a guardsman trainee fell down there once, and every year you can hear him scream if you stand at the edge of the pit at the exact day and time he fell.  
Kanos shuddered. He did not want to know how far it went, and was intent on never finding out. He looked back at Carnor Jax, his sparring partner and better. Jax straightened up and made a serious expression on his usually playful face and began to mimic their trainer, Ved Kennede. Kanos shook his head and smiled. Jax acted immature sometimes, but he was a great person to be around. He was like a sweet relief from all the training, always finding something to laugh at.

The glaring sun of Yinchorr blinded Kanos as he stepped out into the Squall, the sun glaring down angrily on the huddled trainees standing in the middle of the Squall arena. Kanos hated the Squall. The sand seemed to work its way into every single crack and crevice, into his boots to rub his feet raw, and there were darker patches that Kanos was suspiciously sure was blood. Where it came from, he had no idea. Their training was never that violent.

Kanos' attention was distracted by the arrival of Ved Kennede. Their trainer looked them over, then up into the stands at a hooded figure standing silently above. Kennede looked at them. "You will all leave the arena and stand in the stands in sector D. Stay away from the Emperor, and watch." He ordered.

The trainees mumbled to each other before slowly making their way to the door that would leave up into the stands far away from the hooded figure. "Burr Danid, you will remain." He added.

The dark-haired man turned and looked at his trainer hesitantly before slowly returning to his trainer's side.

"Wonder what that's all about?" Someone muttered.

"Probably graduating early." Someone else responded.

"Is he in trouble?" Someone else asked nervously.

"No, he's probably getting rewarded for his excellence." Another joked.

The air was full of uncertainty and worry as they all made their way up to the stands.

Kanos stood in front of the group, with Jax at his right side, and some other guy, Alum Frost, Kanos remembered, at his left. They all stared down at Kennede and Danid, the latter looking around uncertainly.

"Your majesty!" Kennede's voiced reverbrated in the Squall. "May I present, Burr Danid, the finest of our students!" The older man, an ex-guardsman, motioned to the young man at his side, armoured in red and silver armour, a pike in his hands.

There was a few moments of silence as all of the trainees looked toward the hooded figure.

"Your best, Kennede?" A cold voice emenated from the hood. "We'll see."

One of the doors to the arena opened and the massive, dark form of Darth Vader entered the arena.

Kennede retreated to the stands, away from both the trainees and the emperor as the Sith Lord advanced upon the panic-striken Danid.

A blood-red blade ignited from the lightsaber in Vader's hand, and he was suddenly before Danid, who blocked the Sith's blade as it cut the air toward the young man's neck. Vader paused for a moment, but then began to move extremely fast, in an aggressive offensive, while Danid was in a panicked defensive.

Across the arena went the deadly dance of lightsaber and pike, Sith and trainee, the men in the stands watching in utter shock and fear.

Danid blocked a strike that had it met flesh, would have removed both of his legs. In doing so, however, he left himself open for a fatal strike that he was too slow to block.

The watching trainees collectively gasped as the blood-red blade entered the chest of their comrade. Danid stood still for a few moments, then the pike fell from his slack fingers and he fell, first to his knees, then has stomach as his body gave way.

"Is he?" Frost asked.

"No." Jax answered bitterly. "He's still alive."

Vader, seeming to hear them, picked up the wounded Danid in a force grip, the trainee to weak to struggle, and held him over one of the dark holes of the Squall. The watching trainees were unable to move as the mortally wounded Danid fell into the darkness, a final scream echoing up from the depths of the Squall.

"He... he..." Frost couldn't finish, the trainees stood in shock and fear as the wondered if they would be next. Their fears were somewhat relieved when the Sith Lord exited the arena.

"Your best, Kennede?" The voice of the Emperor tore all of their attention from the menacing figure of Vader to look at him. "Not your best." The Emperor disappeared.

"Well, Kanos." Jax stated slowly. "Danid died trying to be the best."

Kanos didn't hear his friend. He was staring at the bloody sand. That's why. He thought bitterly. That's why there are dark spots.

Kanos turned and looked at Jax. "He obviously wasn't the best. Only the best will serve the Emperor. And I will be the best."


End file.
